Former Regional Market President
U.S. Bank
Boards:
Lyric Opera
The Field Museum
Lincoln Park Zoo
Goodman Theatre
Junior Achievement
The Chicago Community Trust
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Inc
Metropolitan Planning Council
UCAN President’s Board
The Economic Club of Chicago
CEO Roundtable
Boardroom Bound® Boardology™ Institute
Northwestern University – Women’s Director Development Program
The Chicago Network
Industry:
Banking
Member since:
2015
Membership Type:
Full
Marsha Cruzan is a strategic President and a great connector who is highly experienced with Board succession and compensation topics, adept at identifying attainable summits, managing risk, leading/assessing/motivating talent and necessary components—in other words, a true mountain climber in every sense.
She’s very knowledgeable regarding distribution, manufacturing, and highly regulated industries—e.g., finance, banking, capital markets, healthcare, insurance; navigating policy to achieve results; and engaging stakeholders—in other words, working with community, talent, and government to gain results and reach goals.
Marsha’s BOARD EXPERIENCE consists of her first fiduciary corporate board, MEDICARE WIZARD, LLC, a health tech firm providing insurance agents in most U.S. states Medicare client options through a vertically integrated, online marketplace, where Marsha is an Independent Corporate Board Director since 2022.
In 2021, Marsha joined the Board of Trustees and an Audit and Investment Committee Member for RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, a major teaching hospital excelling at caring for the most medically complex, where she has assisted with method, priorities, competing needs analysis that identified and is allocating best efforts for top mission results delivery.
Marsha has been a long-time nonprofit board director for major civic institutions, a few of which will be terming out in the near future.
Currently, she is on the Board of Trustees and is Co-Chair of the Nominating Committee and a Member of the Executive Committee for the GOODMAN THEATRE, Chicago’s oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization, where she has advised the CFO and CEO on capital structure optimal communication techniques to gain best outcomes.
LINCOLN PARK ZOO, the 4th oldest zoo in NA & one of the few free admission zoos in the U.S., where she is on the Board of Trustees and is Chair of the Nominating Committee and a Member of the Executive Committee and Diversity Committee. Of note, she led the strategy and recruitment efforts that successfully diversified the board with outstanding community leaders.
THE FIELD MUSEUM, one of the largest, most prestigious, natural history museums in the world, where she is on the Board of Trustees and is the Chair of the Governance Committee and a Member of the Executive Committee. Of note, Marsha:
Grew board talent: Bob Arthur, corporate citizen & founder, Magellan—a global premier metals technical advisor/supplier; Jennifer Sherman, CEO, Federal Signal, NYSE global machinery manufacturer; and Scott Rafferty leading Sterling Bay’s IR.
Provides insights for Museum’s strategic plan, enabling continuing renowned status for its educational/scientific programs.
• THE LYRIC OPERA, a leading U.S. opera company that opened in 1954 with Maria Callas’s American debut, where, as part of the Executive Committee, she helped determine the actions that resolved a union strike and renegotiated new contracts.
Marsha’s CORPORATE EXPERIENCE is with U.S. BANK N.A., the 5th largest U.S. commercial bank, a U.S. Bancorp (NYSE) subsidiary, where she is Regional President, Illinois, Indiana, & Michigan; Chair, U.S. Bank’s Chicago Advisory Board; and Management Supervisor for All FINRA licensed Commercial Banking employees.
As Regional President, Marsha is accountable for full profit and loss in a three-state Midwest region. She is responsible for analyzing all risk issues of global middle market public/private companies. Marsha also discusses public policy and develops/maintains relationships with U.S senators and congressmen, in addition to working closely with Communications to monitor reputation risk. Of note, Marsha has:
Completed numerous M&A transactions with advice/connections, paving the path to a 15% compound annual growth rate.
Integrated Royal Bank of Scotland’s Chicago commercial group into U.S. Bank.
Successfully educated U.S. Senators/Representatives to simplify the PPP forgiveness process; making progress with apt parties with Community Reinvestment Act reforms to meet changing needs of constituents and financial industry’s digital transformation.
Transferring titles, responsibilities, connections, knowledge to new group over five years as move to corporate board careerist role.
In the last 10 years, doubled the income of Chicago Commercial Banking; increased by 90% pre-profit income.
Previously, Marsha worked for JP MORGAN where she started with the predecessor company as an International Treasury Management Consultant; followed by roles as Electric/Gas Senior Banker; Head, Syndications, Private Placements/High Yield; Head, Syndicated Leveraged Finance, Commercial Banking; Management Supervisor for all FINRA licensed Commercial Banking employees. Marsha:
Strategized successful solutions with corporate Boards and C-suite clients during financial crises.
With a 60% headcount reduction over 4 years, increased revenue from deals by 23%.
In middle market, doubled revenues with number of middle market deals increasing 29%.
Doubled investment banking client revenues in Asset-Based Lending.